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Is Your Media Plan Overlooking the Opportunity in Radio?

I’ve come to accept the fact that digital advertising in all its forms is the medium of choice for many marketers these days. Digital has been the recipient of innovations such as animated banners, video integration, smart watches, Social Media, and in App Ads that have taken the medium beyond its creative, targeting and tracking infancy.

In my opinion, a good media plan incorporates multiple media types to engage the consumer in accordance with their media consumption habits. Although offline media may not be as appealing as digital to some these days, they do deserve a piece of your overall media mix. Radio, in particular, hasn’t recently seen tremendous innovation but let’s keep in mind that radio advertising has been in existence for nearly a century. So, it’s understandable that innovation hasn’t been as prolific as of late. However, radio is still an excellent way to reach many different demographic targets effectively and efficiently.

I recommend that you get reacquainted with the merits of radio advertising and utilize the below when assessing what ought to be a part of your next media plan.

Radio is Everywhere- Over-the-air, online, satellite. Within your home, car, phone, stores, work……244 million people 12+ tune-in to radio each week according to the Radio Advertising Bureau. That number represents 92% of the U.S. population.

Radio is Interactive- Streaming radio provider Pandora allows the consumer to weigh-in on their likes and dislikes, and provides more program elements than audio alone, like high-visibility online sponsorships.

Radio is Targeted- Radio has mass appeal, yet can be extremely targeted within the varied formats available. For example, News and Oldies skew toward an Adult 50+ and Contemporary Hit Radio is programmed for the 18-34 demographic.

Radio is Flexible- Short lead times for negotiation and execution are acceptable practice. That makes radio a top consideration for any brand looking to get to market quickly – for instance, a pharmaceutical brand needing to launch soon after FDA and/or Med Legal approval.

Radio is Closest to Point-of Sale- In-Store Audio broadcasts in major grocery and retail pharmacies across the U.S. and can be the final influencer prior to the consumer making a purchase decision.

Radio is Emotive- Although it lacks the visual impact of television, a good radio ad can evoke the theater of the mind and be very powerful.

Radio is a Source of Information- In a time of crises, News stations are the go-to source for information.

Radio Reaches the Light TV Viewer-Radio reaches 80.4% of the 48.4% of adults who watch TV 5 p.m.-prime, and reaches 82.1% of the 51.6% of adults who don’t watch 5 p.m.-prime. (Source: Media Audit)

Radio is Local AND National- Advertisers can support any of the 270+ local markets such as New York, Philadelphia, Paducah…. or choose to purchase a schedule in national programming within a variety of formats such as news, music, talk or sports.

While media innovation tends to happen in the digital sector, radio certainly has a lot in its favor. The above are my top 10 reasons on why I like to recommend and execute radio campaigns. Tell me your thoughts on why you love radio.

With over 30 years of experience in Integrated Media, Cindy Seebeck is a formidable practitioner with her fingers in every medium from spot TV to Digital OOH. She plans and executes holistic media campaigns for Underscore Marketing across a wide variety of clients.